Finding time for what matters most can be a big challenge sometimes, can’t it? What gets in the way for you? Do you occasionally feel:
Overwhelmed by the number of tasks on your to do list?
Distracted, discouraged and depleted because of the many people in your life who need or want or expect you to attend to one thing or another?
Frustrated that your big, cherished goals seem to be hovering always just beyond your reach?
The Attitude of Gratitude is Transformative
Well, I want to let you know that finding time to renew your energy and refresh your perspective is never more than a few moments of gratitude away. Indeed, exploring the attitude of gratitude is one of the most powerful and transformative time choices that you can make for yourself.
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. G.K. Chesterton
Why is gratitude such a powerful mindset? One of the qualities of gratitude that first springs to mind for me is how it opens us.
Our frustrations, stresses and feelings of overwhelm are extremely constricting. They can feel like holding the breath, can’t they? It’s hard to think clearly or creatively when you’re not getting enough oxygen!
The change is powerful…
Introducing gratitude to the equation immediately opens the hands and the heart. There is a release of constriction and control.
This manifests physically as well as in the mind! You breathe in and out more easily. Your eyes brighten, and the world takes on breadth, depth, and vibrant color again. You feel energized, alive, and reconnected with your heart and your life.
Those are all very powerful results from introducing a simple change of attitude, don’t you think?
Have you felt the effects of the attitude of gratitude in your life? I’d love to hear about it!
More help for you…
What if you could find another hour every day? You can! You are invited to sign up and download The New Finding Time Boundary Template. It’s FREE, and when you sign up you will also receive (if you don’t already) my FREE, weekly Finding Time Tips and my FREE, monthly Award-Winning Finding Time E-zine!
Let’s explore time together …
Hi Paula,
Thank you for reminding me to do this! It seems that I would not need the reminder as I want to be at my best with creativity and the attitude of gratitude.
This post has definitely made me more determined to keep on track.
Ellene Breedlove Davis
Thanks for this meditation on gratitude! It reminds me of something I read recently about one of my favorite jazz vocalists, Andy Bey, in Wikipedia. (Bey will be 70 this October…)
“In 1994, openly gay, Bey was diagnosed HIV-positive, but it never stopped him from achieving his musical heights. Colleague Herb Jordan assisted Bey in a revived resurgence in his recording career. Their recording “Ballads, Blues, & Bey” in 1996 put Andy Bey back on top. Albums that followed, like “Shades of Bey” (1998), were a bigger success. Bey constantly explores his art, and still tours, and his unique sound and style is still in high demand. Bey was recently quoted in an interview, “Did you know that gratefulness helps get rid of fear? …I’m so grateful to be able to do what I love, to have a purpose in life.”
It sounds to me as if gratitude has greatly enriched his spirit and his health, too, by directing his energies beyond fear.
Hi Paula, I just read your fantastic blog post here. It seems like we share the attitude that “Gratitude is good for you.” Grateful Nation is an online community that gives grateful people the opportunity and resources to connect, give back, and be thankful. Hopefully, one thanks will lead to another, and we’ll create an unending positive cycle of gratitude. Jump into the unending cycle of gratitude ~ http://www.gratefulnation.org
Thank you, Vanessa
Hi Ellie, Alison, and Vanessa – I feel so grateful for your comments and the ways that you expanded the scope of the post. To borrow a theme that you each touched on – I’ll quote from http://www.gratefulnation.org, emphasizing that gratitude is a healthy choice … and that passing it on is a gift we can give to ourselves, each other, and our broader communities – every day!
GRATITUDE IS GOOD FOR YOU.
Everyone knows it’s good to be grateful, but
did you know being grateful is good for you?
Studies show that grateful people benefit from
better health, more optimism, less stress and
even experience fewer episodes of clinical
depression. With this knowledge, we created
Grateful Nation, an interactive community that
gives grateful people the opportunity and
resources to connect, give back, and be
thankful. Hopefully, one thanks will lead to
another, and we’ll create an unending
positive cycle of gratitude.